Tricycle



Aug. 5 1924. 1,503,832

A. o. HUBBARD TRICYCLE Filed May '7, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l- I8 2 1 I6 6 z3 z5 6 i" F761 j QZJ/ M Mffwk ATTO/@Ng K5" Aug. 5 1924.

A. O. HUBBARD TRICYCLE Filed May '7, 1923 2 Sheets-Shes). 2

Patented ug. 5, 1924.

t one `sr www@ fApplcationyled-May37, 19723. -Serial No. A637,262.

To ail` whom it may y cof/wem:

Be itknown that'iI, ARTHUR O. fHUnBARD, aeitiaen of the United States, resident of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, and vState of Minnesota, have 'invented Veertainvnew and useful Improvements Tricycles, fof which the following isa specification. a f

The objectfof my invention vis to provideV a-child?s tricycle in which'the hands ofthe riderJ can be lused for fboth `propelling and steering the machineA instead ofturning the front wheelwith the feet as usualinniachines'of this type, thus giving thefrider better controlof the maehine 'and making itsl operation easier'iand morepositive.` .A Vfurther object is toprovide a ytrieyele in :which the full powerof the yfeet and" legs cani-be used forrpropellingpurposesl' further object is to `provide `a Atrioycle in which there is no lossof power insteer ing theV machine and` it may be steered mov-v ing-backwardv as well .as forward.

-1A-further object is to provide a machine ofthe class describedvthat is adapted @for the development lof all lathe -muscles of the body; its operationbeing closely related to a rowing machine,t he muscles "of thearms, back `andl legs areI called into playin i substantially the same manneras in .aQrowing machine or boat. I

Otherobjects ofthe'invention willV appear from the fellowing detailed description;

'V'lhe-.invention consists generally inY various constructions andcombinationsall as hereinafter described .and particula'rly pointed out in the claims. :In the accompanying drawings forming part of -thisspecicatiom Figure lis/a longitudinal seetional view through a tricycle, embodying my invention; "Figure 2 is a plan view looking at the underside of the machine;

Figure 3 is ahorizontal Vsectional view taken onthe plane of the line 3 3` inFigure `1 Jand showing the *connections between the steering wheel vand the steering po st'or` lever;

AFigure. 4 is a setional vview onV the line 4 4 offFigure 2; f

Figuren is a 'detail view showing the connecting means between the steering post and the steering wheel;

ligure ...6 is a Vsectional -view -on the-line 6'-.6=of Vligurefl; f

'In the drawing: numeral `2 designates the platform ofthemachine made preferably of wood-and having .-a rear aXle 3 and sup porting wheels`4.` A:Braces 5 connect theaxle with Vthe under sideof the platform2. A pinion '-6-is" secured on saidaxle and meshes withiaV comparatively large gear 7 that is mounted on ashaft 8 journaled in bearings 9 providedi-na'bracket V10 mounted on a sleeveon the axle A3 beneath the platform 2. A suitable housing 11 eneloses the pinion and-gear.

`The l gear A7 has a AYcrank-pin ..12 thereon, and-apitman'123l is pivotedat one end on said crank-pin and fhas Ya Yforked forward portion with larms 14 on the forward ends of Awhich Ia foot-piece 15 nis secured and projects outwardly on each side and is adapted to receive the `feetof the rider for propelling the machine.

Thelplatformhasa slot 16 therein and a combination 'e steering and operating lever or post 17 depends through said slotV and has ai handgrip 18 at its upper end, and atfits lowerend is provided with a 'loosely mounted -collar19 held in place on the lever by a pin 20; said collar having gudgeons 21 thereon ittingiwithin,'bearings 22 in the arms V14.

L'At the forward end yof the platform, a bearing 23 is provided,fanda wheel fork24 hasa pin "25 in the forlnofa king-bolt passing through the upper portion of the forli andfintosaid bearing, said fork'having dependingparallelarms 26 in the lower ends of whichY the axle'27 of the forward steering wheel28 is mounted.

The arms 26 are provided with brackets 29 as shown in Figure 6 havingl holes therein to receive Ythe downwardly turned forward ends of rods 30,-the .corresponding rear ends of these rods fitting loosely within eyes 31 formed in the endsof yoke 32 that is secured to thepost 17. Keys-33amA provided in the ends of the rods to preventlaccidental disengagement thereof from the eyes, but4 allowingtheir convenient separationwhenever des'iredfV `When4 the steering lever or post is rotated on a verticalaxis, the wheel 28 will be'-corr'espondingly oscillated by the front lated forward and backward on the bearingsv 35 in propelling the machine. It has there` fore, a compound or combination movement; one' on a horizontal axis tooaid the feet of the rider in propelling the machine, and the; other on a vertical axis to steer the machine independently of the action of the feet. Generally in machines of this type, Vthe propelling power is applied to the rear axle by the movement or oscillation of the upright lever, the rider having foot-rests on or adjacent the axle of the forward wheel by means of which the wheel may be turned on its vertical axis to steer the machine.

In my improved machine, the full power of the riders feet and legs can be applied directly to the pitman and the gear mechanism to propel the machine, the feet not being used for steering, and at the same time, the rider grasping the lever with the hands can aid in the machine propulsion and steer the machine. I thus am able to have a more positive and reliable control of the steering wheel and greater power for application to the machine-propelling mechanism. j

It will be understood that this machine can besteered while running backward in the same manner as running forward, the lever being oscillated on its vertical axis in the same manner while the riders feet will apply the power at another point in the stroke of the pitman.

I claim as my invention: l. A childs vehicle comprising a frame having rear driving wheels and a forward steering wheel, a lever mounted `.to oscillate on a horizontal axis in said frame and operatively connected through a foot-operated lever pivoted thereon with said rear wheelsy said first mentioned lever being also mounted to rotate on its longitudinal axis, and means connecting said lever with said forward wheel for oscillating it to steer the machine. 2. A childs vehicle comprising a platform having a rear axle and driving wheels and a forward steering wheel, a pitman having its rear end connected to said Vaxle by gears Y and provided with foot-rests at its forward `and means connecting it with said forward wheel for oscillating said wheel to steer the vehicle.

3. A childs vehicle comprising a platform, driving wheels and steering means, a lever mounted to rotate on its longitudinal axis to operate the steering means, a second lever connected at one end to the driving wheels and pivoted on t-he first lever, said second lever having thereon a foot rest operative to 'drive the drive wheels.

4. A childs vehicle comprising a platform, driving wheels and steering means, a'lever pivoted between its ends and mounted to rotate on a longitudinal axis to steertheA vehicle vwhen saidlever .lsrotatedand foot operative means operatively .connecting the lower portion o f said lever with said driving wheels to aid in'propelling the vehicle.

5. In a childs vehicle, the combination with a platform having driving and steering wheels, of an upright lever having handgrips thereon and extending above and below said platform, a hub" loosely mounted on said lever and having horizontalVv bearings supported by said platform, a yoke secured to said lever below said hub, a fork mounted on the forward portion of said platform to oscillate on a vertical axis and wherein Vsaid forward wheel is mounted, and rods loosely connecting said'yoke with said fork where-` by oscillation of said lever on a longitudinal axis willturn said forward wheel to Vsteer the machine. f*

6. The combination'with a platform having rear driving wheels and a forward steer-A ing wheel, of a lever mounted to rock in bearings supported by said platform and projecting above and below said platform, a pitman having a driving connection with said rear wheels, a collar loosely mounted on the lower portion of said lever and having horizontal bearings in said pitman, said collar permitting forward and backward oscillation of said lever and rotation thereof on a longitudinal axis, said pitman having footrests for applying foot power thereto, and the upper portion of said lever having handgrips for applyinghand power thereto to augment said foot power, said lever having a rotary movement on a longitudinal axis, and means connecting it with said'forward Wheel for turning it to steer the machine.

7 A childs vehicle having rear traction means and a forward steering means, a lever mounted to oscillate on a transverse axis and on its longitudinal axis, foot voperative propelling means connecting said lever with said traction means, and means connecting said lever with said steering means. Y

8. In a childs vehicle, a lever mountedVv to oscillate on both the transverse and a longitudinal axis, and propelling mechanism including a foot operative lever and steering mechanism, both mechanisms connected with said first mentioned lever and operative respectively by its oscillating movements to and rotary movement, the connection of said propel and steerthe vehicle. lever with said propelling means being 9. In a childs vehicle, a lever mounted to adapted for applying foot power of the 10 oscillate on al transverse axis and rotate on rider thereto.

d alongitudinal axis, andpropelling and steer- In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set ing mechanisms connected with said lever to my hand this 4th day of May, 1923. be operated Arespectively by its oscillating ARTHUR O. HUBBARD. 

